The classic
alienation of Travis Bickel. "You talkin' to me? Well, I'm the
only one here."

Baptism

Compare Travis Bickel wanting the rain to
"wash all the scum off the streets" to John the Baptist's
baptism of wind and fire which separates the wind from the chaff.
Could this be related to the wind at the beginning of Mary Poppins?
(submitted by Sterling Bjorndahl)

Clean/Unclean

Travis Bickel wants to clean the
filth out of New York. The hope that "someday a real rain will
come and wash all this scum off the streets" becomes his
alienated psychotic motivation to violence.

Travis Bickel attempts to "save" Betsy
and Iris from their respective "captivities," and to
"save" New York from the "filth" he perceived.
He is perceived as a "savior" by Iris' parents and by the
press.

Transformation

Travis Bickel's progressively odd appearance as he
transforms into a vengeful killer.

Vengeance

Travis Bickel brings vengeance as
"justice" in order to "free" Iris (and those she
represents) from the prison he perceives.